Alone in a crowd
by Kate Jaymez
Summary: Jamie left to go on his very first raid alone. But only after he's left does he realize he can never go back.  Rated T just in case


**This is my fanfic about Jamie from the Host. Most of the characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I LOVE the Host. This happens about a year after Wanda is born into Pet's body. Enjoy!**

"Yes!" I cried, barely containing my excitement as I pulled the jeep slowly out of the small purple cave it was usually held in. The only thing that put a slight damper on my mood was the small pill in the pocket of my jeans. Every time I thought of it or felt the slight bump in my pocket I felt like turning around and driving straight back to the caves. Of course I couldn't, Melanie and Wanda had finally given me permission to go. Well, they hadn't really given me permission to go; it had just been necessary. A couple of weeks ago Aaron, Brandt, Kyle, Melanie, Jared, Ian and Wanda had all been sitting in this exact car getting ready to go when something terrible had happened to Melanie. Melanie had been chatting and laughing with Wanda when suddenly she collapsed. She went limp and no one could wake her up. Jared dashed out of the jeep and rushed her to Doc. Doc did a full examination and then used Awake to wake her up. Jared was really scared, I could tell. Then Melanie opened her eyes and the smiled a sad little smile.

"I'm all right" She whispered Jared and me. And then raising her voice so that everyone could hear her: "I'm completely fine, I… I just can't go on the raid anymore."

She smiled meekly at us and then raised herself painfully out of the cot.

"I'm not going either then" Wanda said inter locking her arm with Mel's. "What are best friends for?"

"Wanda…" Ian said.

"Its fine, we'll be fine staying."

"What if someone decided to try and kill you again?" Ian said shooting a glance at Kyle.

"I'll be fin-"

"No! Wanda I have a bad feeling about this."

"I'm not going and that's final" She pouted.

"I know" He smirked "That's why I'm staying too"

"What?" Kyle roared. "Next you're going to tell me Jared's staying too!"

We all glanced at Jared expecting him to laugh or deny Kyle's jest, but he didn't say a word. He just stared at the floor. I had never seen Jared look so awkward.

"I have to think" He said formally "Melanie, let's go."

He then grasped her hand and pulled her toward the door, but she became unbalanced and slipped and hit herself on the floor. He looked horrified for a second before lifting Melanie and carrying her in his arms in the direction of their room.

Jared contemplated his decision all night and he probably would've still gone on the raid it were not for the fact that the next morning when Melanie tried to get out from she fell really hard onto the ground and went unconscious. Doc had to use tons of Awake just to get her to flutter her eyelashes. Doc gave her No Pain and Inside Clean but Jared was still worried. He sent the other guys to meet with Nate and his clan to do the raid but he ended up staying behind. About a week after the guys left Melanie took a turn for the worse when Doc ran out of Inside Clean and he said that was definitely something wrong inside of Melanie. Jared would have gone on a raid at once but when Doc stopped giving Melanie Inside Clean, she needed Jared by her all the time.

"He's my anchor" She managed to cough out when Wanda and I asked her why we couldn't hold her hands instead of him.

So, fortunately for me, Jeb sent me out to meet up with Burns Living Flowers and get more Inside Clean and something that worked better than chloroform. That was where I was now, on my way to a shabby town outside Phoenix to team up with Burns. We couldn't meet _in _Phoenix, there were too many souls there, but we could meet in the little town named Everglade. Beside the –shudder- pill in my pocket there was also a note from Wanda explaining the situation to Burns and begging him to protect me. I scoffed. Me, a fifteen year old, need protection? Ha!

I drove for so long that my eyelids started to droop when I heard the most terrifying sound in the world- sirens. The lights were quite a far way away but they were coming quickly. I quickly did what Wanda had told me to do if I ever was in this situation. I pulled over, lay down and pretended to be asleep. I kept my breathing even with the sound of the engine's steady ticking and made sure my fresh pink scar was visible. I didn't have to keep up the act for very long, after a moment the seeker came and pulled over behind me. A bulky female seeker came to my window and rapped on my window. When I didn't stir she sprayed a thick cloud of grapefruit scented awake through the open top of the jeep. I knew I couldn't keep pretending to be asleep and lifted my head drowsily. I could feel the light of a powerful light on my eye lids and I hung my head. I knew it was over, for me and for Melanie, I subconsciously grasped the little pill in my left pocket and felt the tears start to flow down my cheeks.

"You're a seeker, right?" I asked stupidly.

"Of course I am!" She snapped at me. I felt a great weight of guilt crush me.

"I'm so sorry" I whispered to Melanie. "I messed up. I shouldn't have driven so late into the night. I Just really want to get to Phoenix and do something right for once." And then I was sobbing. The tears flowed freely down my face and I wished I could really apologize to Melanie.

Suddenly I felt a warm arm around my shoulders. I leaned into it seeking comfort.

"It's all right" Said the surprisingly gentle voice of the seeker. "We all make mistakes, don't worry it'll be fine. What's your name" She asked gently.

"Stem In The clouds" I invented wildly. I couldn't believe she still thought I was a soul.

"Flower?" She guessed

"Yes" I said thickly smiling through my tears.

"Stem In The Clouds" She addressed me politely. "Your car is in terrible shape, I've already called a tow truck"

"But how will I get home?" I asked distressed.

"You will ride with me of course" She said as if this was the most obvious answer in the world.

"Right" I said walking toward her cruiser.

I went to the back and she went straight to the front.

"You can sit in the front too" She said smiling "We only put humans" She said humans the same way we'd say murderer " back there. Come along"

I had the urge to say "then I should stay back here" but I thought better of it.

I crawled into the front and belted myself in. Then we were driving, not too fast not too slow, going to who knows where.

"Where are we going?" I asked after an hour of crushing silence.

"Phoenix"

**So what do you think? Jamie's going to the most dangerous town possible, Phoenix, and he's pretending to be a soul! Good? Bad? Let me know. I won't update until I get at least three reviews. **

**-Katie**

**(If you like this, please read my night world fanfic: Feeling Blue)**


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